Pietersen Blasts Modern Batting After India’s Shock Kolkata Collapse

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen launched a sharp critique of modern-day batting following India’s disappointing defeat to South Africa in the first Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. India, chasing a modest target of 124, collapsed to 93 all out, with only Washington Sundar crossing 30. The defeat marked India’s fourth loss in their last six home Tests, reigniting concerns around the batting group’s struggle on spin-heavy surfaces.

Pietersen argued that the current generation of cricketers is increasingly shaped by limited-overs formats, leading to diminished ability to build innings or survive challenging spells in Test cricket. He suggested that the Kolkata result was not an isolated failure but part of a broader decline in classical batting skills.

Criticism Of Evolving Priorities In Modern Cricket

Kevin Pietersen expressed that today’s batters are conditioned more toward aggression than technique, linking the Kolkata collapse to this shift in priorities. On social media, he posted, “Just hear me out here: Seeing the wicket first and then the scores and then the result in Kolkata, it can only be put down to batters’ modern-day techniques.” He stressed that young players are trained primarily in power-hitting rather than long-format patience.

According to him, “Batters grow up now to hit sixes and play switch-hits. They don’t grow up to build an innings and learn the art of survival. This is a fact, as I know what’s being taught and I’m a part of many player discussions.” Pietersen clarified that he does not blame the players themselves; instead, the structure of modern cricket pushes them away from the fundamentals required in Test matches.

See The Post Here :